Revelations Discovery Anthology Volume 1

by Rick Graham

  Still standing in the shadows the Keeper remained motionless. Unknown to anyone in the room, beneath his helmet, Peace gave a disgusting grin of deformed and sharpened teeth as he watched the most powerful men and women of the Corre Republic trip over each other to show their support to the Prefect Major.

  One way or another, war was coming to the worlds of humanity.

  “Commander Tyonek is not a man you should anger.”

  - Sergeant Henderson speaking to his riflemen squad before the battle for Sanctuary in 433

  Vision From The Stars

  Cycle: 433 (One cycle before Reclamation War began)

  Planet: Sanctuary, Union of Stars space

  Location: City of Destin

  A fighter jet trails smoke high over a city caught in the middle of a warzone. “Mayday! Mayday!” the pilot shouted as the aircraft began to spiral downwards.

  Before he could pull the eject lever the fighter smashes into a high-rise building. A large explosion shatters glass of nearby buildings sent sparkling bits of glass to the ground below.

  A squad of riflemen infantry pressed themselves up against the wall of a sky scraper as the shards of glass and bits of aircraft landed all around them.

  “Sergeant, report!” the lieutenant called out.

  Standing about three men down the line the Sergeant looked around at the squad. He turned back to the LT and stuck his thumb up. “We’re all good sir.”

  The senior officer nodded his head in approval and then pointed at one of the surrounding buildings. “Alright. Makowski, Grant, and Feathers, I want you three up in that big red building pronto. Give me some cover fire from the advancing Republic grunts.”

  The three riflemen began to run across the street when suddenly a Republic Sierra WarMech charged down the road. A loud whump came from the powerful 14D cannon built into the Sierra’s right arm.

  As the projectile round smashed into the ground, Grant and Feathers disappeared in a cloud of road and red bits. Makowski was thrown into a parked car. As he struggled to get up the Sierra paused to aim. It fired again destroying the rifleman and the vehicle behind him.

  “Fire!” the LT ordered as his team began to fire their laser rifles at the metal monster.

  Green laser bolts etched holes into the two-story tall WarMech, but did little more than make the pilot angry. Just before the Sierra could fire another round it was rammed into the wall of a green stonecrete insurance company by a dark blue WarMech. Part of the structure caved in on the invader’s machine, pinning it down.

  The riflemen LT motioned for his squad to stop firing. As the Defender WarMech turned towards the infantry squad, the LT could see the symbol of a white fist crushing a rock on the WarMech’s right shoulder signifying it was the 17th’s leader, commander Joah Tyonek. He gave a brief hand salute to the Commander and motioned for his team to move further up the road.

  Tyonek pulled up the map of the city on surveyed the warzone. Three rotations ago the Republic troops landed on Sanctuary. In three short rotations they had decimated much of the defenders on the world, leaving the 17th pretty much on its own to defend Destin, the cities capital.

  Destin was once the crown jewel of Sanctuary. But just after several rotations of fighting between the invading Corre Republic forces and the defending Union of Stars troops, little of the city was not damaged in some way. The planet Sanctuary was known throughout Union space to be a world rich in minerals and other resources. It was also home to much of the Union’s research and development for military weaponry. Without a doubt, it presented a tempting target the Republic would want if they were ever going to launch a war against the U.S. (Union of Stars). Especially because Sanctuary sat on the border of Union controlled space.

  Joah saw that many of his soldiers were locked in brutal close-quarters combat throughout the city. Typically, Union WarMechs were designed for ranged combat as many of the U.S. higher ups preferred little casualties in a skirmish with their enemies. However, this was no small skirmish between raiders or the military of the Polau nation. This was full blown invasion, with the Republic fully intending to snatch Sanctuary away.

  By fighting in the city Joah found that his people could hit and then retreat causing the Republic to bleed a slow death. While the tactic was effective and was working, his troops were not trained for this sort of combat, and the losses were beginning to add up. Morale was getting very low, they needed reinforcements. Time to eat, time to sleep. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the Republic had launched an invasion against two other Union worlds making reinforcements stretch very thin to backup the planetary forces. As far as commander Tyonek knew, no one had arrived in Sanctuary’s system yet to help.

  His sensors picked up movement from behind him. He turned his Defender around to locate the source and found that the crushed Sierra was attempting to dig itself out of the rubble and stand. Its right arm had been crushed in the debris leaving only a sparking stump behind.

  “Ha, where do you think you are going?” Tyonek said through his WarMech’s loud speakers.

  The Sierra freed its left leg and then activated its anti-WarMech knife attached to its left forearm.

  Tyonek chuckled to himself at the sight of his enemy try to engage in melee combat while its other leg remained buried.

  He aimed the two plasma slingers mounted on the Defender’s shoulders at the Sierra, Joah said, “I think you have fought enough for today.” Tyonek fired a flurry of blue plasma rounds into the WarMech blasting it apart.

  The remnants of the Sierra tumbled backwards snapping the right leg at the knee. Bright green lubricants sprayed out of the knee joint and covered the surrounding debris.

  Before he could admire his work, a beep sounded in his cockpit. Joah reached over and pressed the flashing red button. “Green One to Blue One” a woman’s voice said.

  “This is Blue One.”

  “Our left flank is in danger of falling. Do you want us to push further towards downtown?” she asked. Joah knew that typically warrant officer Jessika Serd was headstrong and was always willing to get into a tussle, however, after she lost the majority of her unit from a surprise Republic trap in the initial fighting she seemed to be second guessing herself.

  Tyonek rubbed his reddened and tired eyes. He looked back at the map and saw the same data that his subordinate had access to. Seven Republic WarMechs were engaged in a battle to break the left flank of the 17th. Four Sierras, one Sentinel, and two Arbalests. A group of Gordon assault tanks also pressed the attack against the Union forces.

  “Two Arbalests!” he shouted in his mind.

  While the Sierra was the usual workhorse for the Corre Republic being designed for more of an all-around purpose, the Arbalest was entirely meant to be used for a support role. It resembled the shape of some sort of terrifying bird while being equipped with two Zephyr Strike missile launchers instead of arms, two blitz pods mounted to the top of its “shoulders”, and then dual medium ranged lasers which sat below the elongated cockpit. It wasn’t uncommon to find an Arbalest field several drones that would help tag enemies which could then be blasted to eternity from afar by the Arbalest firing indirectly.

  Many armies fell to the devastation of the Arbalests since its debut on the battlefield. Now the 17th was going to have to deal with two!

  Joah shook his head. “Not today…” he said to himself as he tightened his grip on the control sticks.

  “Negative Green One. Move your people up to open a way for the left flank to fall back through.” Tyonek reached over and tapped a key connecting him to all his soldiers. “This is Blue One. All units retreat. Head towards the fallback point. All units…” he lowered his head not wanting to finish the order. “…retreat.”

  His jaw clenched while he regained his confidence. The lives of the 17th depended on him. He had to keep it together. The Defender’s engine throttled up as Joah headed to backup Jessika and her forces.

  “We can make it until the reinforcements get here. We h
ave to…”

  With the 17th safely evacuated from Destin, soldiers and technicians went back and forth throughout the camp as they moved supplies and coordinated repairs.

  A retractable ladder descended from the Defender’s cockpit and Joah climbed down. Nightfall had already descended, and the cold season was in full effect. A large white cloud shot from his lips as he breathed out his frustrations. He surveyed the remnants of his unit’s WarMechs. Only a handful had made it back from the latest mission. They had lost four WarMechs alone to that pair of Arbalests. Another Aegis limped into place alongside Jessika’s Goblin. Its right arm had been destroyed and it was a miracle that it was even able to limp this far away from the city.

  Warrant officer Leo Pollsen approached with a stern look on his face. He handed Tyonek a black clipboard. “Commander, here is the latest situational report of our forces.”

  Joah glanced over the first page and shook his head. “Walk with me.”

  Pollsen kept pace with Tyonek as the two walked silently to the command tent.

  Techs moved every which way as they carried crates and tools. Repairs on the WarMechs was top priority for any of the mechanics while other support personnel began rearming various firearms and weaponry.

  Tyonek lifted the command tent’s “door” and the two men entered. Several communication personnel were busy tracking reports and coordinating repair and refit operations. Joah found a quiet corner to the right.

  “Pollsen, this report is dire.”

  The younger officer nodded. “Yessir, it is. We have nine operational WarMechs, maybe one more if the techs can replace that knee joint of Hondo’s Aegis. That last battle cost us dearly. We didn’t lose too many lives, but we had heavy casualties on our T5’s and our other vehicles. It got so bad that our infantry were riding back on top of surviving T5’s because their transports were totaled.”

  Tyonek’s right hand cupped his face. He began to massage his eyes and looked back to Pollsen. “Alright, so we are…”

  The commander was interrupted by one of the communication personnel. “Commander, central command is hailing you.”

  “Put it through on the main holotable.”

  Pollsen found a spot near one of the communication terminals to stand while Joah moved up in front of the holotable. Thousands of blue holographic tiles lifted up from the surface of the table and formed into the shape of general Ranco Ajax.

  “Even the hologram version of the General looks intimidating” Tyonek thought to himself as he approached the holotable.

  “Commander Tyonek, I am glad that you and your men have been able to hold up efforts to retake Destin.”

  Joah noticed the awkward glances of the comm personnel on the other side of the hologram. He stood at parade rest with his arms behind his back.

  “Ah, thank you sir. Unfortunately, our losses are beginning to be felt. We have had heavy casualties of both our WarMechs and our support armor. My men could really use a morale boost sir.”

  “Well, you are in luck. We just received word that reinforcements are en route from Dante. They should arrive by tomorrow evening.”

  Joah felt his heart lift slightly at the news. “Do we know where they are planning to land?”

  General Ajax shook his head. “Regrettably we don’t. However, we do know that the Republic troops are going to be attempting to interfere their entry. They should have plenty of fighters escorting the dropships to prevent the Republic aircraft from scoring any easy victory. However, the danger will come from the ground forces.”

  Tyonek stood straighter anticipating the coming order from his superior.

  “Command is coordinating a simultaneous attack from every available soldier we have that can fight on this world. I need you and your 17th to create a distraction.”

  “Name the place sir and we will deploy our forces.”

  Ajax’s stern face seemed saddened ever so slightly. “Joah, I know that your men are not in good shape. I have received reports of your last tangle with the forces occupying Destin.”

  “Sir, we will do our duty to protect the Union regardless of the odds”

  “I know you will. Your orders are this, take the 17th and strike outside the South of Destin at 0700 tomorrow. Draw out as many of their forces as you can. The 42nd will attack from North and do the same.”

  Joah saluted the General.

  “Good luck Commander.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  The tiled holographic image of the General fell apart as the small blue tiles fell to the top of the table.

  Tyonek turned back to Leo, “Pollsen, go and get Serd, Caine and Sergeant Goddard. Meet back here in 10. We have our new orders.”

  “Yessir” Pollsen said as he exited the tent.

  With the surviving members of his command staff assembled, Joah pushed a key on the holotable. A holographic map of Destin was assembled above the table.

  “We have just received our orders from command. Reinforcements are on the way” Tyonek watched as Goddard and Serd showed signs of relief on their faces. 1st Lieutenant Caine’s face however was like stone. Caine, like Jessika, had lost many of his men in the previous rotations of battle. He attempted to hide his frustrations with himself, but Joah knew. He could see the pain in his eyes. It had been a very long time since the Republic had attempted an invasion like this one. In fact, the last time was when Tyonek’s home world of Bronze was retaken by Republic forces through a brutal campaign.

  Prior to growing up on Sanctuary, Tyonek lived on Bronze with his family. His father was very successful, and the family had amassed significant wealth. When the Republic WarMechs began barraging his city his family which consisted of his father, mother and sister attempted to flee to a shuttle waiting to take them to safety. In one of the missile strikes his father got caught in a blast and died. After the rest of his family made it off Bronze they headed for Sanctuary where Joah spent most of his youth growing up in the slums.

  The loss of his father hit his mother very hard, and it took her many cycles before she found hope again when she became a Starist. Starism was the largest religion in the Union of Stars and focused on an individual attempting to ascertain wisdom on the present or guidance on the future by reading the stars and their alignments. Joah never was able to fully accept Starism, his mother on the other hand, chose the path of becoming a holy priestess. This caused a rift to form between the two.

  “Commander?” Pollsen asked.

  Tyonek shook his head to rid himself of thoughts of his mother. “Sorry everyone. As I was saying, reinforcements are heading to Sanctuary. We don’t know where they are going to land, but we have been ordered to draw out the Republic’s forces within Destin towards the South” he reached up and pushed his hand towards the Southern edge of the map which caused the holotable to zoom in.

  Tyonek pointed towards the digital rolling hills on the map. “We are going to advance our infantry up into the hills while they sneak around this group of trees here. We will then deploy our armor and WarMechs to the right and left of our infantry. I want to make it seem as though there is a weak spot to exploit in the center of our formation which will draw in their forces so that our infantry can launch their trap.”

  Jessika Serd lifted her hand for a question but Tyonek motioned for her to wait.

  “Goddard, how is Hondo’s Aegis? Will we be able to use it in this next battle?”

  The old mechanic winced with one eye as he spoke. “Aye Commander, she will be there. We are replacing her left knee joint as we speak, but she is already down her plasma belcher.”

  “Load her up on ammo for her quad missile launcher and Hondo can at least provide long range support” Tyonek said. “Anything else to report on the repairs?”

  Sergeant Goddard folded his arms and leaned up against a console to his right. “Only that ammo is getting sparse, as are spare armor panels and replacement parts.”

  “I know things look bad, but help is almost here. We have to distract the ene
my troops so that our reinforcements have as little harassment as possible when they land” Joah said as he turned his attention to the other three members of his command staff. All of them were fellow WarMech pilots except for Goddard. “I want all pilots to assist with repairs and rearming of their WarMechs. I know all of us are tired, but we need our rides to be in as good of shape as possible for this next fight.” Everyone nodded in agreement.

  “Sir” started Serd.

  “Yes?”

  She shifted slightly, unsure of how to phrase her question. “I know orders are orders. But doesn’t this seem like a suicide mission? We just tried to retake only a few blocks of Destin and suffered…” Tyonek held his hand up cutting her off.

  “We all know that culturally, the Union of Stars is very pro-life. However, we also know that as soldiers that a time may come when we may have to lay down our lives for our duty” the Commander watched as several of his command staff seemed to be lost in thought, thinking about what might be asked of them.

  “However…” Joah said being sure to make eye contact with each of them before continuing. “This mission will not be a suicide mission. We will draw out the Republic forces, and we will make them pay for trying to take our world from us. They may have had the upper hand, but we have managed to survive several rotations of intense fighting.” Tyonek pressed a button on the table which shut the map off. “This mission is dangerous, but we will survive. From our last encounter we know that there are at least two Arbalests in Destin. I want all of our people to be watching out for their drones to make sure they have to come out and fight us. If they hide inside the city and barrage us from cover, we are going to be in a bad place.”